South African Airways (SAA) Pilots Call Off Strike After Reaching Salary Increase Agreement

By Shingirai Vambe

In a welcome development, the South African Airways Pilots Association (SAAPA) has announced that it has reached an agreement with South African Airways (SAA) on a salary increase, averting a planned strike that commenced on 5 December 2024. The strike has been suspended as of 02h00 on 7 December 2024.

The agreement brings to an end a prolonged dispute between the two parties, which had been negotiating salary increases for several months. SAAPA had been demanding a 15.7% salary increase, reduced from its initial request of 30%, along with additional benefits. SAA had offered an 8.46% increase, which is in line with what other employees have received and is backdated to April 2024.

As part of the agreement, SAA Executive Management has offered an additional 1% salary increase, resulting in a total salary increase of 9.47% for SAA pilots. Professor Lamola, speaking on behalf of SAA, stated, “As part of the agreement that broke the deadlock in wage negotiations, engagements on a continuous enterprise improvement program will continue over the next eight weeks. We are committed to implementing work-life concessions that should enhance the productivity of our world-acclaimed pilots.”

The resolution of the dispute is a positive development for the airline, its employees, and its customers. SAA is expected to return to a 100% flight schedule by Sunday, 8 December 2024, with more than 100 pilots returning to their duties by 12h00 on 7 December 2024.

The agreement marks a significant milestone in the airline’s efforts to stabilize its operations and improve relations with its employees. SAA has been working to recover from a period of financial instability and has recently reported its first profit in over a decade. The airline’s management has expressed relief that the dispute has been resolved, citing the potential disruption to its operations during the busy holiday season.